Cheesy Tortilla Pie
This meal, liberally adapted from The Big Book of Easy Suppers by Maryana Vollstedt, is filled with wholesome ingredients. Scramble recipe tester Nancy Bolen’s children rated it “1,000” on a scale of 1 to 10.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef, chicken, turkey, or meatless crumbles or use 2 1/2 – 3 cups of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 yellow onion diced about 1 cup
- 4 oz. canned diced green chilies mild or medium, partially drained, or use 1 - 2 small diced fresh chilies
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 corn tortillas cut into quarters
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup low fat sour cream or use plain Greek yogurt, or use any variety, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch round casserole or deep dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the meat (or meatless crumble or beans) and onions, breaking up the meat with your spatula or back of a spoon, until the meat has browned and the onions are tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Drain off the fat, if necessary. Mix in the chilies, tomato sauce, and bell peppers. Simmer it for about 5 minutes until the peppers start to soften.
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish with half the tortillas, allowing them to overlap. Top the tortillas with half the meat sauce and one cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese. Cover the dish with foil, spraying the underside of the foil with nonstick cooking spray first so the cheese doesn’t stick. (You can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking it.) Bake it for 20 - 25 minutes until it is bubbling.
- Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing it into wedges and serving, or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Serve it topped with a spoonful of sour cream, if desired.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- There's no need to pre-cook the meat and vegetables. Mix the meat, onions, chilies, tomato sauce, bell peppers, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Spread half of the mixture in the slow cooker, top with half the tortilla pieces, and repeat. Cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Top with the remaining cheese 15 - 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Dice the onion and the bell pepper, brown the ground meat, cut the tortillas (put them in a plastic bag after cutting them so they don’t dry out), shred the Cheddar cheese if necessary, assemble and refrigerate the pie, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use sharp Cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack cheese and use medium-spicy diced green chilies.
Tip: If you're cleaning out your pantry and find non-perishable items that you don't anticipate using, donate them to soup kitchens, shelters, or local food banks. Some programs even offer free pick-up and reusable containers to encourage these donations. Even better, next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a bag of healthy staples to donate.
Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 445mgPotassium: 421mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 976IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 2mg
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